Birthday Presents
by Nixi Stasia
Summary: It's the day before Star's birthday, but the Doctor can't quite decide what to get his and River's young daughter. And of course, River hasn't particularly got an age appropriate idea, either. Timebaby fic.


**AN: I still don't own Doctor Who, however, Star Song is still mine. **

Birthday Presents

"Come on, tell me," the Doctor pleaded, "You know I hate surprises!"

River rolled her eyes in response, before picking the small child off of the floor, of the Tardis. As soon as she'd learnt to crawl, the Tardis had been a place she was desperate to explore, meaning that no one would take her eyes off her for a second, incase she ran off through the Tardis' many corridors. Even though the Tardis would never let any harm come to the child, it could still take ages to find her.

Shaking her head at her husband, she quietly muttered something in her daughter's ear, that was annoyingly, not audible to the man, who was currently giving River his usual begging look. With his eyes wide, he looked just like a puppy. Noticing the amusing look on her Father's face, the toddle let out a cry of delight.

"See! Even Star wants you to tell me!" he pointed out, restlessly.

"Honestly, you're over a thousand years older than her, but you two are still as bad as each other," River scolded, as the infant around her hip squealed. She hated to admit it, but sometimes it really did feel like she had two children, and not just the one.

"I know, your Mummy is being very silly, isn't she!" the Doctor exclaimed, tickling his daughter under her chin, before she made another series of gurgling noises. "But, no, her top is lovely! Don't say things like that, Star!"

River looked down at her top, before glancing back at the Doctor- glad he was finally distracted from the current predicament, but now slightly annoyed towards her daughter's apparent fashion sense.

"What's wrong with my top?" she asked.

"Nothing," the Doctor replied, casually. Again, the small child let out a squeal of protest, "The green just hurts her eyes."

River frowned. "The green hurts her eyes," she repeated, looking down at her daughter.

"Yes," the Doctor replied, "And who can blame her, it's a ho-" He stopped as he noticed his wife's stern glare. "Lovely… It's a lovely top."

The woman's glare faded. "Thank you, sweetie."

"You're welcome, and you know what else she's saying?"

"What?"

Letting out another grizzle, the baby stretched out towards her Father and as her Mother passed her over to the scraggly-haired man, she reached further over, clinging with one hand to his shoulder and with the other, fiddling with his bow tie.

"She is saying that Mummy should tell Daddy what she's gotten her for her birthday- he… He has the right to know," the Doctor grinned, as he juggled the fidgeting toddler around his waist. "Aren't you?"

"No she isn't!" River snapped back. "Why are you so eager to know, anyway?"

"I just want to know!" the Doctor exclaimed, "What's wrong with that? It's not like I'm going to take it away from her- unless it's a gun, or something…"

River froze.

"You got her a gun, didn't you?"

"Well…" River innocently backed away, "It's not a real gun, so to say…"

"But… but, she'll grow up into a, into a gun… Shooter… Person… Thing."

"No she won't!" River tusked, "It's just… A method of self defence."

"Guns start wars!" the Doctor pointed out.

"And fight them. Look, it's not even a real gun!" River protested, "What did you get her, then?"

"Ah, well… That's… Interesting, because…" the Doctor began.

"You haven't got her anything, have you?"

Shifting awkwardly, the Doctor stared at his shoes. "Well… Err… I…"

"You didn't?!" River exclaimed, angrily, "You show up the day before our daughter's first birthday, and you don't even have a present for her! And then you lecture me about what I get her?!"

Star, who was still being cradled by her Father, let out a sudden cry, in response to her Mother's furious outburst.

"Shh, sh, shh," the Doctor whispered to the baby, "Mummy's just being silly."

"Don't turn the blame on me," River shook her head, at her husband. "Look, give her to me."

Star shrieked.

"She says not until you're not angry," the Doctor informed.

"Oh, now you're just making things up!" River frowned.

"No, I'm not. How else would you explain her cries?"

"Well… It just scared her, that's all," River shrugged, before changing the subject, "Now what are you going to get her?"

Thinking, the Doctor looked down at his daughter in his arms, looking for inspiration. He had no idea what to buy the girl; he'd never had to buy a one-year-old of any species, a birthday present before. Well, not for a long time, anyway. But with so much to choose from, his mind suddenly went blank. He could go down to Nanoeceplica and get a necklace that changes colour due to her mood. Or, he could go to Sarvaelicosta and find one of those fossils that glowed in the dark- River had said she needed a night light, because Star didn't like the dark. Then again, Amy and Rory would have probably bought her something "earth-like" and "boring" like a lamp.

"What shall I get you, Star?" he muttered. "What would you like for your birthday?"

The baby gave her Father a cheeky, toothless grin and shook her head. Giggling, she looked down and began playing with the red bow tie, rapped tightly around his neck.

"Hey, you like that, don't you?" he said, "You know what, no matter what your Mummy says, bow ties are cool."

And then, he had the perfect idea, what he could for her birthday.

* * *

**AN: It would mean a lot if you left a review. Even more if you gave me a prompt for a Timebaby for a R11ver fic. It can be an idea, or just a word. :)**

**x**


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